News
Exclusive: Biden administration secures release of Afghan-American Naval reservist who was held by Taliban
Rauf and his brothers, all former Afghan refugees, based the Human First Coalition, which, together with others within the “Digital Dunkirk” motion, labored to evacuate these desperately attempting to flee after Kabul fell. The group’s work quickly turned to humanitarian assist for Afghans, and Rauf put medical faculty on maintain to go to Kabul to attempt to present crucially wanted assist.
Rauf and his brother Anees Khalil, a inexperienced card holder, have been taken into custody by the Taliban on December 18. After greater than 100 days of intense negotiations between the Biden administration and their captors, the Rauf brothers have been freed earlier Friday.
In an announcement first obtained by CNN, Safi Rauf introduced that on Friday, “we have been launched as a result of efforts of the US authorities (most particularly political officer JP Feldmayer, Particular Consultant Tom West, and Lt. Col. Jason Hock), our household and family members, the Qatari authorities, the British authorities, our workforce at Human First Coalition, and numerous mates in nation, within the area, and everywhere in the world.”
A supply with the Human First Coalition tells CNN that Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, former New York Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey and nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan have been additionally very useful in securing Rauf’s launch.
“Safiullah Rauf and Anees Khalil have been launched after being unjustly detained in Afghanistan,” Ned Worth, a State Division spokesman, stated Friday. “They’re now in Qatar earlier than touring residence. We’re grateful for the efforts of all those that labored to safe their launch however extra work stays. Unjustly holding Individuals captive is at all times unacceptable, and we is not going to cease till each American who’s being unjustly held towards their will is ready to hug their households as soon as once more.”
A State Division official added, “These people had been detained in Afghanistan since December. When it grew to become clear they’d not be permitted to depart, we deliberate and executed an strategy to barter their launch and reunification with their family members. This was an interagency workforce that conceived, deliberate out, and executed this essential mission to convey residence an American citizen and an American lawful everlasting resident. We additionally took benefit of the chance to once more press for the discharge of Mark Frerichs, as we do in each assembly we now have with the Taliban. We are going to by no means let up wherever, at any time, in our efforts to convey Individuals who’re unjustly detained again residence — whether or not it is Venezuela, Russia, Afghanistan, Syria, China, Iran, or elsewhere.”
Frerichs, additionally a Naval veteran, stays in Taliban custody. A civil engineer engaged on growth tasks in Afghanistan, Frerichs was kidnapped earlier than the February 2020 deal between the Trump administration and Taliban was signed.
Born in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan, Safi Rauf got here to the US and graduated from highschool in Omaha, Nebraska. Embedded with US particular forces as a linguist in Afghanistan for 4 years, he returned to the US and enlisted within the US Navy Reserves.
“Anees and I want to thank everybody who labored tirelessly to safe our launch in addition to everybody who has supported the humanitarian efforts of our group Human First Coalition,” Rauf stated in his assertion. “At the moment, we’re wanting ahead to reuniting with our household and family members and in the end, I hope we will proceed to advocate for and search methods to serve the Afghan folks on this vital time of want in Afghanistan.”
Rauf additionally stated, “Our understanding is that this exceptionally unlucky state of affairs arose resulting from a misunderstanding; we did nothing fallacious.”
In the course of the US withdrawal, they labored alongside the Taliban amid a chaotic evacuation of foreigners and Afghans from Kabul. Since then, US officers have been in common communication, however there are nonetheless dozens of Individuals in Afghanistan who’ve wished to depart the nation however have been unable to as a result of there haven’t been common evacuation flights.
This story has been up to date with further response and background info.
CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Peter Bergen and Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.